Lindiwe Mazibuko is a renowned South African activist and ex-politician who served in the National Assembly. She was the parliamentary leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Leader of the Opposition while in government.
Lindiwe Mazibuko’s Age
Lindiwe Mazibuko was born on the 9th of April 1980 in Manzini, Swaziland. She is 45 years of age and usually celebrates her birthday on the 9th of April.
Early Life and Education
Lindiwe Mazibuko was born in Manzini, Swaziland, to South African parents. At the age of six, she and her family returned to South Africa and stayed in Umlazi, a small town outside of Durban.
Lindiwe Mazibuko attended Carmel College in Durban. In 1997, she matriculated at St. Mary’s Diocesan School for Girls in Kloof, Durban.
Lindiwe Mazibuko had a strong passion for music and hoped to attend the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Due to financial issues, she enrolled for a degree in Music at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
A year later, Lindiwe Mazibuko dropped out and travelled to Europe, where she did odd jobs and pursued a music career.
After returning to South Africa, she studied at the University of Cape Town and earned an arts degree.
Career
Before diving into politics fully, Lindiwe Mazibuko had an early political career.
In 2007, she wrote her honors thesis on the Democratic Alliance (DA) while fascinated by Helen Zille’s replacement of Tony Leon as the party’s leader.
Following the conclusion of her thesis, Lindiwe Mazibuko was hired to work in the DA’s parliamentary caucus as a researcher.
In a short time, she was appointed national media liaison officer and then allowed to stand as a party candidate in the 2009 elections.
Shadow Cabinet
Lindiwe Mazibuko secured a seat in the lower house of the South African parliament after the 2009 elections.
Furthermore, she was appointed as Shadow Deputy Minister of Communication in the office of Shadow Minister Niekie van den Berg.
Lindiwe Mazibuko was labeled a “rising star” following her emergence in the party and was seen as a future leader.
Also, she was named among the top 200 Young South Africans of 2009.
In 2010, after the reshuffle of the Shadow cabinet by Athol Trollip, Lindiwe Mazibuko was retained as national spokesperson while appointed as Shadow Minister of Rural Development, Land Reform and Poverty Alleviation.
Leader of the Opposition
Ahead of the midterm elections, Lindiwe Mazibuko announced her interest in challenging Athol Trollip for the position of DA parliamentary leader and Leader of the Opposition.
In 2011, she, alongside Wilmot James and Watty Watson, stood for Leader of Opposition, Caucus Chairperson, and Chief Whip, all as a team.
She was heavily commended for her selection, which included individuals with experience as DA parliamentarians.
Lindiwe Mazibuko stressed that her approach was meant to foster a more democratic selection process in the party.
There were notable DA politicians who endorsed her candidacy, and they included Marta Wenger, Natasha Michael, James Masango, Patricia de Lille, and Stevens Mokgalapa.
Helen Zille was a major supporter as she saw Lindiwe as her successor and campaigned for her election.
In October, the midterm elections were held, with Lindiwe Mazibuko winning with the most votes. She maintained the Shadow Cabinet until 2012, when a reshuffling took place.
Lindiwe Mazibuko did a lot of work while being the Leader of the Opposition; she famously tabled a “motion of no confidence” towards ANC’s Jacob Zuma, which the DA didn’t permit.
In 2013, she was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and recognized among the 20 Young Power Women in Africa by Forbes.
Lindiwe Mazibuko suffered a lot of insults from the opposition and some members of the DA. She disagreed with mentor and supporter, Helen Zille, when her parliamentary caucus supported ANC’s policies concerning the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE).
Following this dispute, a rumor was that Helen had shifted her support from Lindiwe to Mmusi Maimane.
In the 2014 general elections, Lindiwe Mazibuko stood for reelection to her position in parliament.
After returning from surgery, she decided to reject a return to her parliamentary seat.
Lindiwe opted for a one-year sabbatical while completing a master’s degree at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Later Career
After her studies at Harvard Kennedy School, Lindiwe Mazibuko became a fellow of the Harvard Institute of Politics and, thereafter, Stellenbosch University’s Institute for Advanced Studies.
She co-founded the Apolitical Academy in 2018 and launched Futurelect’s new civic education programme.
Family
Lindiwe Mazibuko is private when it comes to her relationship.
Net Worth
Lindiwe Mazibuko has an undisclosed net worth.